Allotments 4 All

I used pots made from newspaper very successfully for peas and beans for about 15 years until a few years ago. I don't use them now as the new composts seem to be either very wet or very dry in them.

Everyone seems to be having difficulty getting things to germinate, but particularly beans. I suspect I am sowing beans a little too early. Some people are now chitting their seeds before sowing.

I now use small cells (12 to a half tray) for sowing beans as I think that avoids the compost getting too wet. When (if) they germinate, I transplant them at past the first true leaf stage (roots just showing through the bottom) into larger cells (6 to a half tray). When they are nice plants, (and again roots showing through bottom) I set them out. Plant slightly deep to cover the root ball, which should be a good block in the cell.

They sit for a while as the roots move out, then are off up the canes.

Planting out at this size makes them less attractive to slugs and snails.

Last year a plotholder looking for plants when her sowings all failed found a solitary tray of strips of Cosse Violette at the garden centre - dried out, battered plants - and was pretty well given it for free. I took a couple of strips, as I have not grown them before and like trying different varieties. I watered them, cut the dead bits off and later separated out the plants and potted them up. I ended up with six plants that flourished and cropped heavily. I've grown them from seed this year (the latest I sowed and 11/12 germinated - see earlier comments!).

So in my experience, French beans (and runners) are pretty tough but plant them out as large plants.

Up until last year, I don't think I had ever seen blossom end rot on my tomatoes... Been growing tomatoes for ages... even neglecting them for a few days when away visiting, filling up the drip trays to the brim before leaving... tomatoes happy for years... but this and last year... well, we've had heatwaves,... is this a sign of more issues to come?

Great to hear everyone's. Champion pepper is my favourite. It tastes mild to medium and meaty. I have been growing several types to find this back through. Seeds would be lovely.


My only Princpe Borghese have green tomatoes. Beans Indian,only 2 plants survived and one started flowing by mid June this time. I ask my husband to share pics ( am on holiday). Also French bean python growing prolific. mangatouts we had  few. Not successful for seed saving though. I was given Turkish cucumbers plants which are producing too. Thinking of asking my husband to mark one hand pollinated fruit if it taste good( he has been eating since last week)

Quote from: juliev on July 04, 2026, 12:08:41yes, dark beans when dry for Reina Mora. There are some dark pods in french beans, runners and peas. Favas have the genetic variation to create dark flowers and seeds, surely a dark pod is also a possibility?

I need to cover the whole garden in fine netting. They have also discovered they can eat soft fruit through enviromesh... I need a giant cage!

Yes, it's interesting that fava beans, as far as we know, aren't capable of producing a different coloured pod.

It sounds as though your pigeons are even more voracious than ours. That's quite a challenge. ☹️☹️ For soft fruit in my garden it's blackbirds I think who take redcurrants etc. but they aren't too persistent luckily.

Juliev , luckily not a true mint !

yes, dark beans when dry for Reina Mora. There are some dark pods in french beans, runners and peas. Favas have the genetic variation to create dark flowers and seeds, surely a dark pod is also a possibility?

I need to cover the whole garden in fine netting. They have also discovered they can eat soft fruit through enviromesh... I need a giant cage!

Markfield Rover, I've never grown mint from seed but I'm looking forward to having a go.

Mr Hong's Vietnamese mustard Early, HSL tasty leaf grows well outside with a large leaf . Huacatay -Black Mint , Real Seeds , looks like a French marigold having a strong flavour certainly puts hairs on one's chest . Superior Korean Mint ( liquorice mint)Real Seeds ,  great flavour , sweet liquorice and lifts a salad no end will definitely grow again!

My pigeon defences!

Quote from: juliev on July 02, 2026, 13:29:17How exciting! Jan, I can't believe you already have chillies and peppers!

Seeds have started coming in here too.

Dark purple broad bean Reina Mora, only variety grown at home.

Mangetout Frieda Welten. I had to resow several times and fight mice and pigeons but I should have enough seeds for the circle (still a few pods on the plants). Unfortunately, it's the only pea variety I'll be able to contribute. Broad beans and peas have been a struggle. I have enough seeds to start again next year but it's frustrating...

On the other hand, the direct-sown squashes are loving life! I need to get a hand-pollinating list ready as some have started flowering already.

A dark purple broad bean sounds wonderful.I assume that's bean rather than pod. (Has there ever been a coloured pod in broad bean?)

Commiserations over your mice and pigeon battles. I have big problems with pigeons on peas too. I've found the only way to keep them off is to cover the whole lot with debris netting. Fortunately someone gave me a lot of imperfect netting from a building site and it works for that. The downside is that you have to more or less crawl underneath to pick and it's more difficult to see what's going on. In the next day or so, I'll see what dried seeds I've got and can offer.

Quote from: markfield rover on July 02, 2026, 10:19:22Hopefully Huacatay and Superior Licorice Mint to follow .

Great names but could you elaborate a little! 🙏